Game programming - Board games

[Mully]

So, for a few months I've been wanting to take a board game, like Pandemic, and convert it into a computer game (I know the copyright issues, but it would be a private game). I'm a computer programmer by degree and I can pick up languages pretty well, I would say. I think this would be a big enough effort, I may be able to get a couple of friends to help. It at least be definable set of pre-existing rules.

What do you think? What languages could/should it be programmed in?

[Kupek]

Whatever language you're most comfortable with. Since it's a learning exercise for you, I wouldn't worry about performance - so if you're uncomfortable in C or C++, I wouldn't choose them. Personally, I would probably do it in Python, but if you're more comfortable in, say, Java, then choose that.

If I was to do this, I'd also probably explore existing frameworks for making games. I know Python has Pygame (http://www.pygame.org/).

[Lox]

Yeah, what Kupek said. I particularly agree with the idea of finding an existing engine or framework. You're going to have your hands full just building the game loop and including all of the rules and other types of logic. If you had an engine that could ease some of the difficulties of doing collision detection and stuff like that, you'll have a much better time. Most major titles aren't built using custom engines so it's not like you'd be "cheating". Heck, even a game like Angry Birds used Box2D (I believe) instead doing everything from scratch.

When I took my game design course over last summer we all started using Java and building simple games that could run as applets. Everyone else stayed with that and I also did a bit of XNA development using C#. I switched simply because I wanted to try XNA and I like C#, so you should definitely use what you enjoy.

[SineSwiper]

Flash, if you're familiar with it. Otherwise, HTML and jQuery. Hell, you could do the entire thing in jQuery if you want, or just use some sort of Perl/PHP backend, but given the interactively, a browser-based language would be best.

Outside of web programming, there's VB and Visual C# for Windows, or something like Qt for cross-compatibility (using Python, Ruby, or Perl as the lower-level language interfacing with Qt).

If nothing else, I would start small, like a simple Tic-Tac-Toe game, just to get your feet wet, or maybe something more advanced like Scrabble. (Bonus points if you can recreate MAVEN.)

[Zeus]

As a non-programmer weighing in, I say do what you can and make it as user-friendly as possible. If you can pull that off and make the game feel like you're playing the board game, you've succeeded. If you can make it even better, then you're in elite company 'cause that rarely happens.

And stay with English for now. That way, most of the world can play it you're not messing with another language trying to figure things out. You've already got enough to worry about without intricacies of languages to toss in.

[Mully]

Zues, as a non-programmer you just failed. "What language" as in what programming language. I only speak English. Don't worry, a lot of people make this mistake.

[Mully]

I think I'm going to go with Flash, have to learn it first, but apparently it's pretty "easy." I thought about going the engine route, especially with Flash, since basically it's an engine.

[Lox]

Awesome. Have fun. You'll learn a lot just putting together the innards, plus you'll learn Flash!

[SineSwiper]

I think I'm going to go with Flash, have to learn it first, but apparently it's pretty "easy." I thought about going the engine route, especially with Flash, since basically it's an engine.

Keep in mind that Flash does require a lot of animation and drawering.

[Mully]

Keep in mind that Flash does require a lot of animation and drawering.

I'm going to dumb it down at first, then employ/acquire a few artists friends I know who are well versed in Adobe Illustrator (another reason to keep it in the family of Adobe).